Accused racehorse buyer for drug gang due in federal court

An affidavit says Francisco Antonio Colorado Cessa is accused of buying millions of dollars' worth of racehorses, then transferring ownership to others.

Posted: June 21, 2012 - 7:43am

ASSOCIATED PRESS

EL PASO, Texas — A man accused of acting as a straw purchaser of racehorses in a multimillion-dollar money laundering scheme for a Mexican drug cartel is due in federal court in Houston for a detention hearing.

A federal affidavit says Francisco Antonio Colorado Cessa is accused of buying millions of dollars’ worth of racehorses. Of the 14 indicted, eight are in custody, one was granted bail and five remain at large.

Colorado is to appear in court today in a case arising from federal on the New Mexico and Oklahoma properties of Jose Trevino. He’s a brother of reputed Zetas’ drug cartel leaders Miguel Angel and Oscar Omar Trevino.

The affidavit says Colorado would later transfer ownership of the animals to Trevino and others linked to him.